Thursday, January 31, 2008

Got Feedback: Logan Airport (Commenting Disabled)

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74 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Hi.

I've recently experienced security at Canadian airports vs. the security at BOS. They have a practice that seems to be much more "protective" of the flying public, and that is to check the id and the boarding pass at the gate while getting on the plane. Doesn't this do a better job of authenticating the flyer to the boarding pass and id? I'd feel much safer if we implement that same process. What are the chances?

Good people here in Boston but not as friendly as other airports...Completely understood given the history but very professional.

Diamond lanes here would be a Godsend if they ever decide to finish terminal construction but the good folks here are keeping up with demand and if travel is planned accordingly you can get a freakin delicious crab omelet, bloody mary and sail through security walking on your plane with little hassle...

Given what history? If you are trying to connect the history of Sep 11 to "not .. friendly" that is certainly a stretch. I fly from Logan 3-6 times/month. Terminal A Delta, Terminal B US Airways and Terminal B American (Terminal B has 4 security checkpoints, Air Canada, 2 at US Airways and American. The friendliness factor is no better or worse than any other airport.

What terminal construction are you talking about? The food court in Terminal C is the only area at the four terminals under construction. How does that affect the security line?

I frequently fly in and out of Logan and most TSA staff at Logan are courteous and professional. However, I recently had a memorably negative interaction with a TSA officer. After the officer informed me that she needed to inspect my bag, she gave me less than a minute to put my shoes on before yelling at me from where she stood that "I'm waiting for you." Further, when I admittedly made the mistake of packing a small jar of jam in my bag and asked whether I could look at the jar to see if it was under 3 oz so I could include it in my 1 quart bag and put it through the machine again, the officer shouted at me to back away from reaching for the jar as if I had been about to commit a crime. In spite of my efforts to try to ask her politely about what the policies were, she treated me as if I had knowingly attempted to sneak something through the screening and as if I were uncooperative. As a passenger, I feel that if I have a right to understand what the policy is if I inquire about it.

As a frequent traveler out of bos, I was horrified at the recent TSA changes made at the A terminal security lines. The new 'ski slope' security line process removed/merged the delta medallion and first class security line with the black diamond line. Now this line is open to all levels of "expert" travelers and as a result the line almost reached out the door of the terminal. So much for having a short security line to get to the shuttle flights quickly. All this accomplished is to make 3 long lines of the same length. Frequent fliers get screwed once again.

It's clear that no one from TSA actually flies with any level of frequency or uses forethought when creating new programs or processes.

It's the frequent flyers paying more than deep discount tickets that keep those big silver buses in the air. Now you want to penalize me for doing that by stealing even more my time standing in lines.

Just like on a ski slope, someone that should not be on the black diamond run will be and ruin it for everyone. Only difference is at least on a ski slope, there are are qualified ski patrol members to help.

I recently flew out of Boston/Logan a few weeks ago. It was my first experience with the airport.

I will say that, from a security perspective, all the agents were quite friendly, even funny at times. In general, however, the security line process needs a lot of work. There are basically 3 lines that merge into one at the very end for the ID/boarding pass check, while the line on the very right is for First Class passengers. This bottleneck at the end is very confusing as no one really knows when to go, and there are a few people checking IDs and passes, but you can't necessarily get passed the checkpoint if other people are in the way. All in all, it's not all that efficient.

You really need a way to secure laptops as passengers go through security. I put my $3k laptop with all my work, on the x-ray belt, and I really worry the laptop being stolen by a passenger before I personally make it through security.

What is the procedure for insuring that laptops are not stolen at the end of the line?

The "ski slope" security lines at BOS terminal A are a joke. All this manages to do is elongate the security experience for frequent travelers. There's no patrolling of the "expert" line, and no consequences for those that enter who shouldn't. Bring back the elite access line!!

It disgusts me to see these comments regarding security and the supposedly uneducated screeners. There is quite a bit of educated personnel within our ranks from the lowest end (which is a screener) to upper management, but to assume we are all uneducated is quite ignorant. The majority of us have degrees in various subjects or we come highly decorated from various branches of the Armed Forces (you know those people who fight for our freedom), we chose this agency to assist any way we can in ensuring the American public a safe passage. We are targeted on a daily basis from passengers and the media; put yourself in our shoes just for a moment and imagine screening up to 15,000 people and that is just on your shift (which is 8 hours)daily. Can you fathom that? There is 15,000 people coming through your area and you have to explain everything to divest, declare,conduct bag checks, hand wands, full body pat-downs and etc, for eight hours. Are you gong to make everyone happy? The answer is no, because most people come in the airports already upset about the process either something happened to them (once) or they heard various things from co-workers or friends and they are determined not to be happy about any part of the process. We have taken over document checking and identification which we provide 100% better than private companies; we also are conducting Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques, which if you read the TSA website have resulted in the capturing of known felons, persons that are trying to deceive the U.S govt with fraudulent documents and etc. In conclusion, we(screeners) are all human to, we put on our shoes one at a time just the same as you(passengers)if we could all treat each other with openness and respect we would not have these problems we have to day. Have a great day or evening.

Make sure the laptop goes in a bin before being placed on the belt. If you put it on the x-ray belt itself, it is likely to be damaged (I'm not sure if that's what you did or not).

Honestly, there isn't anything that TSA does to ensure that laptops are not stolen. The TSA cannot keep track of what items belong to each passenger... and they honestly shouldn't have to. Its more important for them to do their jobs to help to ensure safe travel and efficient security, so you aren't waiting in line forever (we try at least).

As a TSO, the best thing I can suggest is to send your laptop through the x-ray LAST, after all your other items. That way, it is unattended on the other side of security for less time.

If you have others traveling with you, send valuable items through in the middle of all of your luggage and coats, that way someone will be in through security first to watch the items.

Also, don't do things that hold you up on the outside. Have everything ready that you need... send through all of your things, remove belts and other metal, have your boarding pass ready... just be prepared.

Label your laptop. I know this likely wont deter someone who is determined to take it. However, it will eliminate confusion if someone has a similar one. Also, it may help later if it is, in fact, stolen.

If this helps to ease your mind a little... in my experience, I have never heard of a laptop being stolen at the airport. I see hundreds of laptops every day go through the airport. It seems almost every other passenger has one with them. Also, there are video cameras, so that could be helpful in the event something is stolen.

Sorry that there is not a concrete solution to your laptop worries. I understand your concern and I hope that my suggestions help a little.

As far as Laptops go, or any other expensive/inexpensive property, passengers need to remember that the TSA Officers are there to ensure your safety while you are flying... not make sure that your property isn't taken by someone else. If we find that someone may be trying to steal, obviously we will act on it. But our main responsibility is safety which I, as a frequent traveler myself, see as far more important than property.

Also, I don't know if anyone has noticed, but next time you are in a security checkpoint, take a look up at the ceiling... there are cameras everywhere! And, if you are actually listening to the Officers that are giving advisments, they tell you to stay with your property until it goes into the XRay, then go through the Metal Detector. And like was said before, do everything that you can to delay you getting through the Metal Detector and you will get back to your property faster.

In my several recent travels out of Boston Logan, in all cases the TSA agents used a hostile and abusive tone toward passengers, unlike in the various other airports I've passed through recently (Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dulles).

For example, I bought an ID holder that hangs around my neck and holds the boarding pass sticking out so it can be seen and my ID in a transparent slot. I was gruffly ordered to remove this and put it in the X-ray. I politely asked "Are you sure? It has no metal parts..." and was interrupted by the TSA agent who screamed at me "I DON'T CARE, I TOLD YOU TO PUT IT IN THE X-RAY" in a tone that would be inappropriately hostile if used against a school child, and was definitely way over the line when used against an adult citizen who was trying to be compliant.

I tried to put my shoes through the X-ray machine in a bin. The TSA agent angrily watching people putting their stuff in bins stopped my stuff before it could go into the machine, angrily told me "SHOES DON'T HAVE TO GO IN BINS!", and made everyone wait while he removed my shoes from the bin and put the bin back. Fine. Shoes don't have to go in bins. Nobody said shoes *can't* go in bins. Why did everyone have to wait while he removed them? It's not like there weren't huge stacks of available bins.

One terminal I passed through had relatively decent space for passengers to organize their stuff to go through the X-ray machine, and to pick it up at the other end. Another had highly insufficient space at each end, leading to a highly chaotic mess of people trying to elbow out enough space to put all their stuff in bins, and other people trying to elbow their way around them.

One terminal had organized lines. (Badly organized, but at least they were kept as lines.) Another had nobody attending to lines, so as described above it became a chaotic mess. My traveling companion entered the "line" directly behind me, and exited it some 15 people behind me because he's a little guy and everyone just pushed him out of their way. The TSA agents didn't seem to care as long as our shoes weren't in bins.

While TSA agents at other airports have spoken to me in a courteous and professional tone, every time I am going to have to fly out of Boston Logan my stomach gets all knotted up several days in advance with fear of what those jerks are going to do or say to me when I go through security.

Sometimes TSA people won't let you stay with your stuff. They push your stuff through without your permission. If the person in front of you gets held up, your stuff gets to the other side long before you do. Prior to 9/11 there were numerous news reports of people stealing laptops and other valuables at airports so it is something that can happen.

Also, the TSA people at Logan are ok unless you accidentally bring something that might not be allowed. Like the jam jar guy notes above, they start treating you like criminals. The police they call over are even worse and treat you like you're a criminal on "Cops." While it's important for them to catch and question people, it's not necessary for them to be so mean and rude about it. I've seen them do this to many people including a woman in a wheelchair.

As for comparisons to other airports, regarding getting people and their things through screening, the Logan TSA are definitely ruder than the ones in D.C. who are polite and help you with your things rather than just yelling at you and shoving your things through the scanner.

I travel every week and use Boston Logan quite a bit. The security lines for the United terminal are the worst compared to airports in Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The area is cramped and crowded, and I'm sure working in such tight confines causes a lot of problems. I am an opponent to the entire screening process anyway, so the rest of my comments will most like be be viewed as biased against TSA screening. A better way for TSA to screen, is to profile passengers and screen those who meet the threatening criteria. Unfortunately that is not a option that will ever employed. We're too consumed with offending someone, even when it comes to the terrorist. Who are the most likely candidates that will hijack a plane? Are they the 60+year old senior travelers that I see constantly pulled over for additional screening because of pacemakers, metal implants, or lack of knowledge with the screening process? Are they the business traveler like myself who travels every week for the past 30 years? Are they the children, with parents in tow, going on a vacation? We all know the answers to that. My point is, a lot of time and resources are wasted looking at the wrong things I can not bring in a 4 ounce tube but I can carry three two ounce tubes with no problem. Pilots are checked – why would we check the person flying the plane? If they are going to do something, how does passing through a metal detector do anything about that? In our quest to maintain "our all people are created equal" policy we misuse and waste valuable TSA resources. To be able to check people who really need to be looked at closely, we pull over two others who really don't pose a threat. That way I guess we feel we're doing things equitably.

The current US system is a joke. And the only response is everyone wants to keep having discussions instead of making hard decisions. And now the latest answer is that we want to make an elite class of people who have to pay for the rights to go ahead of others in line with this ID system being proposed for security. I fly very frequently. And it is so far beyond terrible that it can not be explained. And it is at all levels.

The largest problem I would say is when they allowed the airlines to go to this "hub and spoke" system of flying.

One inch of rain in Boston and you are backing up flights around the world. And all the airlines will sit there and tell you is "well - we can't control the weather" - basically saying - TOUGH!

This is EXACTLY why I NEVER want the government running my healthcare system. Everything that it touches turns into the biggest political mess with costs spiraling out of taxpayers pockets.

And I have yet to find an airport on the East cost that is immune to the problems.

I flew out of Logan on Friday. As per the usual procedures, when going through the metal detector, I handed the screener my boarding pass and ID. After he checked the boarding pass, he handed both it and my ID back, telling me I no longer needed my ID at the metal detector. Needless to say, I was quite confused, considering I had only needed to present my ID one other time prior to that - when I checked my bag. After that, there was no one prior to the x-ray/metal detector to verifiy I was who I said I was. If the screener's telling me the ID was not required was correct, I could have easily handed off my boarding pass to just anyone and left them fly instead of me, since no one else was verifying my identity after the baggage check. Am I missing something here?

I travel frequently on Delta out of Terminal A. I hold Platinum Medallion status. One of the benefits is having a special line. You have started a diamond system that is awful. First off it is the closest line from the ticketing counter, second of all too many people "think" they are an expert causing the expert line to be as long or in a few crazy cases longer than the other lines. If you go by the theory that to be an expert you need to hold "status" on an airline you could restrict the lane to the proper people or at the very least create an additional line for us like we had before. The honor system may work for some things but giving someone the ability to rate themselves is nuts. It may work on a ski slope where if you rate yourself higher you may break a bone or get killed ( how may people were hurt last year because of this? ) But rating yourself as an "expert" only defeats the purpose of the system and causes real experts more grief. PLEASE STOP THIS AWFUL SYSTEM, OR AT THE VERY LEAST PUT AN AGENT IN FRONT TO CHECK PASSES AND DON'T ALLOW ANYONE WITHOUT STATUS TO ENTER THE EXPERT LINE.

I recently flew from Kauai Hi back to Boston thru LA and some where along the way the TSA inspected my bag. I had a lock on it approved by them to use with their key. My complaint is why did you throw away my lock? If you have the keys to open it, you don't have to cut it. If you can throw in that stupid notice that you inspected my bag why can't you throw the lock back in the bag??? The locks aren't expensive, but just the same I now have to go out a buy another lock!! It just seems more customer friendly if you would just open the lock with your key and throw the lock back in the bag! Thank you!

I have been through anti-terrorist training in the Marine Corps and container inspections in the Coast Guard and every time I go through TSA screening I just want to set up shop and teach school to all security personnel. They couldn’t find a bomb if it was labeled, but damn if they don’t cause a scene when an old lady forgot to take her drink bottle out of her bag. I think TSA employees are the bottom of the employment barrel and some of the most uneducated and unprofessional people I have ever seen in a work environment. I also believe conditions will only worsen as companies make money off the fact passengers are limited in what they can bring with them, hence you need to BUY another one of what ever it is you are not allowed to bring. If this was really for our safety having a more superior identification system of whom people are is the only way traveling will be safer. For example the drink bottle you are not allowed to bring is not a bomb, but the alarm clock that just goes right through the “X-ray” machine, is the bomb. Duh. It’s all simply about money and who gets it. Finally, I would feel a lot better about being told what to do by inferior people, TSA security, if they had regulations on hair cuts and mannerisms, something more institutional. Having some young man with a mohawk and earrings telling me I need to be further screened makes my blood boil. Semper Fi.Jesse G.

I don't appreciate the screener's serious bad attitude and condecending manner in dealing with us. They are serving us, paid with our tax dollars and American citizens. Multiple times I have been violated and my personal items were damaged by these "professionals". They need to go back to school and get some real training on "customer service" (although that is highly un-likely that the government knows what that means.

I fly every week, most often from Logan. The different terminals and the layout of security are all different. Terminal A is better IMO due to the renovations and the added space around the screening area. This said, they did not leave enough room at the discharge end for passengers to collect their things and find a place to sitdown to tie their shoes...thanks to the shoe bomber we all must polish the floor with our socks, guess it saves on floor care costs...can't see the safety level improvment..but I only work in the private sector on public safety.They have in the last few weeks installed a roller system to return the empty bins, saving on the labor to move them back to the starting end.Terminal B(US Air) is the pits, the setup of prescreen tables requires you to move the bins and your carryons along different heights of tables, thus you cannot just line them all up and push the whole bunch at once. This is a real clog point and often the lines run slow.Term B (American) is worse than USAir, there is no room on the intake side due to the poor layout ot the lanes, no more than 7 or 8 feet of tables before the x-ray, at least they are the same height. The cleared side at least has some chairs at the gate area to sit in and tie your shoes and check to see what you might have left behind. Terminal C has 3 gate areas. The smallest one has no problems except there is no area on the cleared side to sit or collect you things, don't carry more than you can hold in your arms or you will have problem. The C gate security checkpoint on the right side of the terminal is not too bad, but the left side is a maze and has very little area to load the bins and often has no bins to load due to a shortage of bins...guess they cost a whole lot of money.On the whole the security is constant and I know what to expect. I fly every week, sometimes several times a week and I carry electronic equipment, 2 laptops, projector, cables, batteries( but never lithum), small insulated hand tools as examples and a pair of speakers. I can not check this equipment due to the fact that it will not arrive the same time I do, or if checked it is almost always damaged even when packed in ATA cases, but thats not the TSA's problem. What is their problem is that I never know what to expect at different locations. Sometimes the agents have a clue and other times they do not. The security of travelers would be better served by a registered travel system, pre-screening of passengers by the frequency of their travel, and most importantly profile of the travelers. If people have a problem with that they can walk. Traveling is not what it was 50 years ago. Sure passports and documents can be forged, but at least use the ID systems in place, and don't hang up the travelers who travel every week on business. We who travel have the right to conduct our business, and the TSA should conduct them selves as a business and not just a show piece for safety. If they need more funding go to the department of defense and spend some of that money on HOMELAND DEFENSE and not window dressing. Let the record show us the success rate of the program, and take a page from other countrys. Put armed, and trained personal on the front lines of air safety, pay them well and we all would be better off than we are now.Don't insult the professionals who work in public safety with silly screening systems, if you want the public to be safe in the air allow the frequent travelers to be part of the system. We are the eyes and ears of travel, and I for one don't charge for assisting, all you have to do is ask. Standing in line I can learn a lot by watching other passengers,and can pass this information along if someone was able to listen. We give up the right to private lives when we sign up for a credit card, drivers permit, professional licenses what's the big deal with a perfered system that works at all the airports, not just a few like Orlando???

I recently arrived at Logan on an international flight. I was off the plane quickly and only one passenger was ahead of me in the US Citizen Immigration line.

As you will know, there is a very long "snake" arrangement to accommodate busy periods at Immigration.

However, it was not busy and unlike most "customer-oriented" organizations, there was no attempt to provide a "shortcut" approach to the Immigration officers as you would commonly find in a bank or store.

The passenger ahead of me - a 40-ish businesswoman - ducked under the tapes in order to not have to drag her wheelie bag back and forth a half dozen times for no reason.

As soon as I saw her do this, I thought "bad idea" and sure enough, a tall, black-shirted officer came marching over, pointed directly at her and yelled "LET'S GO BACK AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY" as if she was in third grade.

I was embarrassed for her and ashamed by what our country has come to. Many foreign citizens witnessed this shocking event - what is their opinion of us?

Now, in a perfect world, officers would have time to tailor these snakes to the current passenger load. I understand the world is not perfect. But I also fail to see how a person doing what she did (she was not jumping ahead of anyone) created any sort of a problem. And I certainly fail to understand the attitude of the officer involved.

Perhaps there is some risk in her doing what she did - but he could have walked over to her, explained it and told her she should not do so in future.

But to yell at a grown woman as if she was a child in front of tourists from (possibly) all over the world? Bad, bad bad.

Why would he do this? Because he was too lazy to move? (He did move around later, so he wasn't "under orders"). Because he likes shouting at people?

Your staff should be more careful with private property. I was taking a flight home, and the worker had the nerve to shake and toss my $1500 laptop as if it were a toy as I was going the the security check. Luckily, there was no damage. Also, (a different incident at logan) my friends digital camera was dropped by a different staff worker and he had to send it to Nikon to have the shutter repaired. Luckily, the warranty covered it. Long story short, be more careful with people's stuff. Sometimes it's expensive; other times, we don't want people messing with our stuff.

1st...I want to make a response to the person who "frequently travels on Delta out of Terminal A".I agree with you that people should not be allowed to choose their own expertise, but the expert line (black diamond) should not be restricted to ONLY those who "hold status on an airline"!!I used to work for an airline and my boyfriend is a TSA screener. Both of us know all the rules and regulations, but neither of us fly frequently enough to get a "status" on an airline.WHY should we get stuck with the 5 person families who have only flown once in their lives?! We shouldn't!! We are just as good as those of you who have "status on an airline" at getting through security, if not better!!

and 2nd...I'd like to say to the Marine...I totally agree with you!Most of the screeners at the airport my boyfriend works are are nice to passengers but I have met some horrible screeners who you just want to ask, "WHY are you working with people? WHY?!"I've never seen a screener with a mohawk or piercings... but I'm sure it is out there... most older male screeners you see have a full beard and an inch or longer hair. you would never see that in any branch of the military. it should be the same for TSA.

I apologize for not having any specific instances to cite in my dealings with TSA, but I did just return from Japan, and the difference in attitude was stark. TSA employees are consistently grumpy and interact the absolute bare minimum with passengers, usually avoiding eye contact and merely barking out orders. They are clearly overworked, and the ridiculous policies regarding carry-ons and the entire disrobing process that needs to take place at the security gate gives people more reasons to be snippy at the TSA personnel. So they respond to the situation by just moving passengers through like cattle, which does not afford any opportunity to observe potentially suspect behavior-- everyone is already yelling at everyone else, passenger and TSA employee alike. The security gate in Narita airport was efficient, and the staff were incredibly polite and friendly. Quite a change from the experience at Logan in which, while shoving my feet into my shoes as the line stacked up behind me, I saw a beer bottle under the carry-on scanner.An additional comment regarding carry-on policy: I checked the website regarding carry-ons before my flight two weeks ago, and was advised to "not overthink" what might be potentially dangerous or not. The problem with that advice is, since I am not a criminal, it is very hard for me to think like one, and when I am told that nail clippers are dangerous, I can't see the difference between them and (for example) my housekeys. Since the policies are so specific and (to the innocent) illogical, it is very tough to be completely sure that one is packing the "correct" items. Because if you aren't, you are not given an opportunity to keep the items-- you are separated from your checked bags already, and you do not have the ability to hold or mail the items to yourself-- and they must be discarded. Perhaps there could be plastic bags at the security checkpoint which could be used to store 1-2 items that may have inadvertently been packed (passengers could simply write their names on them in Sharpie), then boxed and put in the cargo area for the flight?

My solution to the whole throwing things away at the checkpoint problem is pretty simple. If you don't need it while you are on the plane... put it in your checked luggage! The list of prohibited items is very short for checked luggage. Any time you are told something can't go through the checkpoint, you ALWAYS have the option to go back to the ticket counter and put it in a checked bag; wheather the TSA Officer offers it to you or not. I tell people all the time, if you are not sure if something can go through security, put it in checked luggage.

I flew out of Terminal A on Saturday. When I went to get in the black diamond "expert" lane, a private security employee standing at the entrance asked me if I had a first class ticket. When I told her I did not, she told me I had to get in the blue line. Despite the fact I drew her attention to the sign at the front of the expert line and the fact I fit its suggested criteria (e.g. fly two or more times a month, know the TSA procedures by heart, etc.) she refused to let me in the line.

The blue lane was execeptionally long. Meanwhile, throughout my wait in the blue lane, I saw only a handful of people be permitted in the "expert" lane -- despite the fact that it had TWO x-ray machines and an ID checker committed to it.

I don't know if this was Delta and Continental's response to complaints like those here, e.g. that people who shouldn't be in the expert lane go through it and that the lines have been too long or what. But when the sign clearly indicates that I do not need a first class ticket to go through the expert security lane, I have a major problem with whoever -- be it the airlines or TSA -- trying to turn the expert line into a de-facto first class lane. If you are going to attach a first class (or elite) requirement to enter the expert lane, then put it on the sign -- and then reallocate the resources you devote to that lane so that two X-ray machines don't go virtually unused while the blue lane has this major backup because it also only has two available X-ray machines.

In any case, I agree with the previous posters -- it took me much longer to clear security using the ski slope system than it ever did prior to its institution. Its more of a hassle than a help. Get rid of it.

Going thru the AA F checkpoint @ BOS approximately 6:10 am I am cut in front of by a uniformed female TSA screener loaded down w/multiple bags of goodies from Dunkin Donuts as well as 4 of their largest (well above 3 oz!!) cups of coffee. The loader takes the bags & puts them in the plastic dog food bowls for their trip down the belt, but she simply waltzes thru the WTMD carrying the 4 cups of coffee & wearing her shoes. Right after she went thru the moat dragon starts fiddling w/the buttons on the top of the control panel & lights start flashing (being turned back on perhaps?).

What makes me even wilder about this whole farce is that there is a Dunkin Donuts & a Starbuck kiosk INSIDE 'security' she could have easily gone to, but no, that would have entailed a little walking on her part, so much better to go to the kiosk right outside 'security' & waltz thru w/her contraband coffee in front of all the sheeple.

[quote]We have taken over document checking and identification which we provide 100% better than private companies; we also are conducting Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques, which if you read the TSA website have resulted in the capturing of known felons, persons that are trying to deceive the U.S govt with fraudulent documents and etc[/quote]

Hey, that's just swell. How many terrorists have you caught? Yup, that's what I thought. The silly SPOT and ID checks are mission creep. I bet you have caught a ton of 19 year-olds with a fake ID so they can buy beer. Alas, the goal of the TSA is to prevent terrorists from getting on a plane, not catch people with fake ID's.

I respect the work you have done for the military and the country, but the security theater at the airport exists solely to provide the illusion of safety. Checking my MA ID with a black light isn't going to catch the next bad guy.

What makes me even wilder about this whole farce is that there is a Dunkin Donuts & a Starbuck kiosk INSIDE 'security' she could have easily gone to, but no, that would have entailed a little walking on her part, so much better to go to the kiosk right outside 'security' & waltz thru w/her contraband coffee in front of all the sheeple.

As a weekly business traveler in and out of Terminal A at Logan, I want to reiterate two points made on this blog by other commenters:

First, the new lane labels are confusing. Are the criteria still first class, club membership or mediallion status? (I hope they are!) Or are they actually the softer criteria shown on the signs?

Secondly, I have also had the experience where airline staff walk through security with full cups of coffee. This seems not just like a double standard, but also implies that someone with the desire to cause trouble on a flight couldn't become an airline employee. We are living in an "almost anything is possible" era -- and this policy doesn't seem to really address that reality.

Thanks for setting up this blog and listening. BTW, the 3-1-1 signage is some of the clearest and best explained I have ever seen from a government agency.

As a 68 yr old with two replacement knees and flying about 6x ayear I resent a TSA agent patting me down in my private areas which has occured twice. When I told the superviosr he said filea compl,aint which I did and never received a comment from TSA HQ. The TSA screeners also speak to each otheri nSpanish. We are in America and they should be talking in ENGLISH.In one case the sceeener had me looking away from mybelopngings and when I said you need to watch my belongings he then realized his error NO APOLOGY Poor training and poor supervision.

FT MYERS TSA seem to be better trained, polite and more efficent than Boston screeners and do the job quicker and more pleasant.

Bosotn TSA screeeners speak to each other in foreign language UNACCEPTABLE We are in America

Ft Myers TSAa beter trained,polite ocurteous more efficent

As a 68 yr oldwithtow replacement knees is it necessary to part down my privates? When I complained the supervisor said file a complaint.Not with him Filed complaint on the TSA web site Never heard from TSA.

Lax by many to ask where belongings are when screened leaving valuables open for people to take even by error

TSA needs better security supervison for passenger's belongings as they are screend

I live in Boston; my 76 year old mother visits me approximately 4-5 times a year, typically flying into Terminal C. She has a replacement, titanium knee, which causes her to have to be wanded every time she passes through security. The TSA agents couldn't be nicer, more respectful of her privacy, or helpful when she sets of the alarms. The agents at the beginning of the line who check the ID's and boarding passes could use some lessons from those inside!

As a screener at Logan International, passengers don't really realize the amount of upset and angry people we deal with on a daily basis. We are just here to do our job and do it the best we know how. But, on a daily basis when you have to screen someone because they have alarmed the metal detector for some reason or another and you hear " JUST DO IT" or "DO I LOOK LIKE A TERRORIST" and you try to explain, "I'm just trying to do my job Mam/Sir". Or they bring in items not allowed in carry on, and you explain to them you need to go back and check your bag to keep the items or surrender them, and you hear" YOUR TAKING MY TOOTHPASTE!" or "ENJOY MY YOGURT" and you explain again" I'm just trying to do my job Mam/Sir" or when you find a weapon (knife) in someone's bag and explain that they can't carry that on the plane with them, and you hear " I'VE BROUGHT THAT THROUGH SIX DIFFERENT AIRPORTS, YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT, IT'S ALLOWED I KNOW IT IS" and you explain again " I'm just trying to do my job Mam/Sir" or when you have to search a bag for prohibited items and the bag is larger than an actually person and weighs even more and you hear "I HAD THAT BAG PACKED PERFECTLY,AND YOU'RE MESSING IT UP, YOU BETTER PUT EVERYTHING BACK THE WAY I HAD IT" and again you explain " I'm just trying to do my job Mam/SIr. Every day the checkpoint I work at screens about 6000 passengers a shift, and to hear this abuse from ALOT of them on a daily basis takes its toll. Some of us here want to do the job right. Some of us here work in this job because we lost a family member on 9/11. Some of us here START the day with a large smile. It doesn't take alot for a passenger to be nice, your experience lasts all of1 hour at the MOST, ours lasts 8.

As a frequent flyer, I have everything out and ready to show security (passport and boarding pass). By the time I get to the conveyer belt, I have already taken off shoes, jacket and put in pan. I've also got my 3-1-1 bag out of my carry-on and put in a bowl, along with cell phone, etc. I am tired of people who wait until they get to each point and then dig through their bag to find everything. My suggestion is , if people can't produce boarding pass and passport without digging around in their bag, they be required to step aside until they are ready. This will most likely make people very livid, but it may teach them something, and at the same time, those of us who are ready will not have to wait. We will move right through and speed things up. In time, I think the word would get out that if one is not ready for security, they will be asked to step aside, and also in time you would see the security line move faster.

I've been flying out of Boston almost every week since January, and I've seen how the security process has changed. Unfortunatley, I'm not impressed.

The wait time for the frequent traveler lane was about 30 minutes; the other two lanes were even longer. This is longer than before.

In a way, I think the lanes are gimmicky: the real solution is simply more screeners, I think. At 11:30 AM today, there were three inspection lanes open. Before the traveler lane, there were four inspection lanes. I think a fourth lane was opened as I walked through.

Letting people walk through the x-ray machines out of order may help as well. Today, it seems all the members of a party of 6 were pulled aside for special screening. They were held just past the walkthrough xray machine, and the TSA personell basically stood there looking frustrated while yelling for somebody to come and take him for inspection. Meanwhile, we all waited on the other side.

ATL used to have horrible wait times for the security line. The last two weeks have been a breeze. Whatever they're doing seems to be the right thing, and I hope they keep doing it.

Concern: I just saw an interview with adminstrator and one of the individuals staffing the blogsite--as a taxpayer, did I pay for that massive monitor being used? That's crazy?

Observation: With all of the millions of dollars worth of scanning equipment and other aparatus installed in the airports, why can't UV lights be installed to shine down on the floorspace where all the sweaty shoeless feet traverse, to provide some real time disinfection?

Kudos- A year ago I watched a TSA staffer, presumably a supervisor do a seemingly small- but to my mind very astute and comendable thing. She had dark hair and skin, wore a maroon overshirt, but I was unable to get her name and was being jostled along by the line. At any rate- having heard a passenger's name called out for a departing flight, the TSA agent was sharp enough to, without prompting, cues or requests from the person, identify the subject standing in line. She pulled the person out of the line and escorted them to the front of the line. I felt it commendable that she did this, as the lin was very, very long and tempers were high. She clearly was focused on providing a high level of service, and did the right thing in the face of a somewhat unfreindly crowd. SHame on me for not being able to make sure she got the proper recognition.

I agree with Trish about how TSA employees can get really frustrated with the passengers. Unfortunately the passengers don't always understand how many people we have to deal with in a day. Many of the passengers are great; they follow directions, are friendly, and try the best they can to get through in a timely manner. Others don't listen to the directions, are extremely rude, cause scenes, insult our intelligence, hold up the line, etc. It's these passengers that often harden TSOs.

I apologize for the rudeness of some of my colleagues. I try to be friendly to passengers and treat them like human beings. Everyone makes mistakes, so if you forget to take your laptop out of your bag or forgot about your bottle of water then its not a big deal to me and I tell you that. As long as you cooperate then I have no problem being courteous to you. I'll be as nice to you as you are to me. If I start out courteous and friendly and you are rude, disrespectful, and uncooperative in response, then you will not get the same courtesy that was initially offered to you. If I find your 8 oz toothpaste, please don't argue with me. Either surrender it or go check your bag. Get over it... its just toothpaste!

And... in response to the coffee comment... would you rather have your TSO's without coffee? Don't you think they would be less alert and more grumpy? Haha.

Also, staff in general (not just TSA, but also airline employees, etc) are permitted to keep their shoes on (unless they alarm the metal detector) and are permitted to carry styrofoam/paper cups through the metal detector. 1. You wouldn't want the coffee going through the x-ray and spilling. This would cause ridiculous delays and could also get on your bags.2. ALL and I mean ALL airport personnel go through extensive background investigations and interviews.3. The person pressing buttons on the metal detector was not turning the metal detector back on, or off. At every terminal, every checkpoint, every metal detector, they have to press buttons on the machines periodically in order to count the number of passengers that come through. This is done multiple times a day and was in no way related the the TSO walking through with her coffee and shoes.4. Would you rather have pre-cleared TSA personnel and other staff remove their shoes (that don't alarm) every time they walk in and out of the metal detector? You need to realize that this would hold up security even more, because you would have a longer line at the x-ray, and the TSO's could be spending that time better assisting you inside the checkpoint! Also, I have had some passengers complain that TSO's cut the line at the x-ray and metal detector. But... wouldn't you rather have us get in there sooner so we can be there to help move along the process?

I recently traveled through BOS for the first time with my family, including my 2 1/2 year old daughter and my elderly mother-in-law. The family/special assistance line was truly unique in concept, and I thought it would be different. The only difference was that people [passengers] were more annoyed that EVERYONE needed to take more time. Everything else was the same.

I suggest that such a separate "family/special needs" area be used in more airports, however there should be some functional differences - wider spaces, a lane exclusively for handicapped/wheelchair access, x-ray machines big enough to handle an umbrella stroller, more kid-friendly TSOs, larger "recomposure" areas for families to re-pack childrens' items, some way to make sure familiy members are kept relatively together, particularly when they have small children with them, and perhaps even some more child-related themes/images/posters (like Clifford the Big Red Dog, Disney Princesses, Diego/Dora, Thomas the Train, etc.) that would serve as a welcome distraction for small kids.

Also there should be a separate lane in each area (expert travelers, family, etc.) just for people who are late for their flight. No matter how relaxing or less-stressful you try to make the "experience," the stress of possibly missing your flight because the line is too long or slow may cause the behavioral profilers to erroneously spot worried travelers rather than people who may be a real threat.

I don't travel often and never with my laptop. So when I decided to bring it along a few months ago there was some confusion on my part as to what to do with it at the checkpoint. An extremely rude officer "helped" me to understand along with some under his breath comments. Traveling in flying cattle cars is stressful enough without someone getting visibly and audibly upset with you over an honest mistake. There wasn't even a line at the time. I've been in ridiculous lines at other airports where the officers had an excuse to be rude and instead were very courteous and professional. Keep up the good work and hats off to an awesome idea with this blog.

TSO BOS Blogger said on .April 29, 2008 12:50 AM.. And... in response to the coffee comment... would you rather have your TSO's without coffee? Don't you think they would be less alert and more grumpy? Haha.********************************

Go back & re-read the original comment (perhaps Blogger Bob can help you). I don't care whether you have your coffee or not-that's not the issue. The issue is that the screener went waltzing thru the checkpoint w/4 jumbo cups of coffee that we, the traveling public, are not allowed to bring in (remember, if it's over 3.4 oz &/or not in a Kippie, it gets tossed). If you can't or won't follow your own rules, don't expect the traveling public to do so.

If the traveling public, who are paying for your kabuki security theater, can walk down the B concourse to the Dunkin Donuts/Starbucks that are PAST the checkpoint for their fix, there's absolutely no reason why screeners on checkpoint duty can't do the same! And don't even try to give me any BS about the coffee didn't leave the checkpoint (came thru it, though, right?) & the screeners have all passed a background check. The screeners just caught smuggling drugs in ATL all passed the same background check, for all the good that did.

It is this kind of stupid stunt that has led to the level of hostility you have seen on this blog since day 1. Don't expect others to do that which you are not willing to do yourself. And to come on this blog & then make a joke out of it is just a further insult. On the plus side, your attitude does clearly illustrate, to those who don't transit BOS frequently, what those of us who do have to deal with on a regular basis when it comes to the screeners there.

To the passenger above: It seems to me that you believe what we do for a living as security as being a joke? Coffee? Are you serious? Do you not understand the amount of prohibited items we remove from passengers on a daily basis? They don't realy make public that information, when we take away loaded 38's or 9 mil. glocks, or gas powered chainsaws..(REALLY!) We work everyday, everyday, to make your plane ride safe... I personally screen every passenger and bag as if my own child was on your plane.... Coffee... Are you serious? You need to see the entire picture my friend. We don't get on the planes, what difference does it make WHERE we get our coffee?

"Don't expect others to do that which you are not willing to do yourself. And to come on this blog & then make a joke out of it is just a further insult."

I was just trying to make light of the conversation about the coffee, I wasn't trying to "insult" anyone. It's just a little extreme that people get so mad that the TSOs, flight attendants, and pilots can bring in liquids.

Day-to-day we work in an environment where everything is priced higher than normal; coffee, pizza, gum, water, etc. If we prefer to get Dunkin Donuts coffee outside the checkpoint rather than the more expensive Starbuck's that is past security, then we shouldn't be given a hard time about it. Try working at a place where you are not permitted to leave and are forced to pay the inflated prices of food on your break. The costs are no picnic and, to be honest, we don't all get paid that well.

Additionally, I do not feel there is anything wrong with my attitude. I am respectful of everyone that comes through the security checkpoint and of everyone on this blog. I have just been trying to give people more information and provide a different perspective. Many people do not think of things from our point of view.

I'd meant to relate the following some time ago, but time and life had other plans.

I (and my wife) were flying out of Logan Terminal C early on a Saturday morning, on a JetBlue flight. We arrived about an 1:50 hours before flight time. The terminal was crowded: it was the first Saturday of local February school vacation. We are experienced passengers, who generally breeze through security - and we had everything ready and organized to go.

We missed our flight.

We missed our flight, because of TSA staff intransigence. Yes, the lines for security were unduly long, and many of the parents with children and others were unprepared. TSA staff seemed to be doing their best to cope with that.

They were also calling out passengers whose flights were soon to depart, and pressing them through a reserved lane. This was also a kindness.

But: they were calling flights that left after mine - and I simply could not get any of them, despite polite inquiries, to call for my flight as well.

With 5 minutes before departure, they called my flight through the TSA express lane. The first person through was incapable of managing the process. We all missed our flight.

What bothers me so much, was the complete lack of expressed responsibility that the staff had. Yes, they are not some kind of concierge - but the notion that no one would accept the helpful feedback about a skipped flight, coupled with an unwillingness to admit to error was quite infuriating.

I work in software systems, and one of the many concerns we have relate to creating secure products. A "joke advertisment" for a network security appliance was passed around a few years ago, for a product named "Scissors: Run with Scissors". The idea was that if you took your system off the Internet, you could prevent all attacks on it via the Internet. The joke, of course, is "what's the point of network software with no network there".

TSA is, in my mind, the "Run With Scissors" of the travel world. It attempts to offer security benefits, but often in the process robs travel of the very value that travel brings.

Which might be worth it - if there was real evidence that TSA, as the final barrier between the plane and the terrorist, was finding, catching or displacing terrorists. Alas, I cannot find any facts on the TSA or FBI web sites that describe how many actual terrorists the TSA itself has stopped while they were attempting to board planes, nor any evidence that the TSA process itself is protecting us.

Every confiscated pocket knife or cup of coffee is a failure - unless there is an arrest attached. The literal tons of screening debris produced so far, are a sign of false positives, without much sign of true positive successes.

I find it all very disturbing, and not terribly comforting. As a result of the lack of announced success, and the repetitive failures (many people have told me about stuff they forgot was forbidden, yet got on board), and the overwhelming inconvenience - I'm not a fan.

In the mean time, of course, had some madman been intent on performing a terrorist act against us all - he or she could have killed several planeloads of people on that Terminal C Concourse that morning, as we waited impatiently in line for screening, and for flights that some of us were going to miss, and the rest barely make.

The fact that this blog trumpets new and exciting ways to perform a task that seems to net so little result, is not comforting. I'd rather have caught that flight than be victimized by a process that documents so few results.

In the mean time, you have much work left to do in Boston in terms of managing crowded lanes, and in the sense of customer service. At least teach the well-meaning staff to say "sorry" if their work damages the passengers travel.

Can we just let the upset passenger who missed his flight know... We don't call out flights, the airline people come up to us and ask us to call for you, we have no idea in which order they call for you, because you weren't called till late was actually due to the airlines neglect not ours, not to shift blame or anything, but maybe you didn't know that. Why would anyone in the TSA apologize for doing their jobs? The general rule is to come to the airport 2 hours before your flight, but if you knew it was vacation week, why didn't you come earlier? You need to realize you still have a line to get boarding passes and check your bags, a line that preceeds the security line. We are here to make your flight safe, if people in your line have no idea what they're doing and make people miss their flights, how is that our fault, are we doing our job?

It's just a little extreme that people get so mad that the TSOs, flight attendants, and pilots can bring in liquids.*****************************We get 'mad' because the situation you outline above just illustrates how much of a farce this whole process is. Either the 'sterile' area is sterile or it isn't-if some are permitted to ignore the rules, especially those who are, allegedly, supposed to enforce them (never mind the ones who came up w/them in the first place!) then it's not 'sterile' is it?

TSO BOS Blogger also said at May 2, 2008 2:48 AM

Day-to-day we work in an environment where everything is priced higher than normal; coffee, pizza, gum, water, etc. If we prefer to get Dunkin Donuts coffee outside the checkpoint rather than the more expensive Starbuck's that is past security, then we shouldn't be given a hard time about it. ********************************Make a deal w/you-I won't give you a 'hard time' about it if you don't give me, the traveling public, who are not only paying your salaries via our taxes but also all the '9/11 security fees' tacked on to every airplane ticket we buy, a 'hard time' when I want to do the same!

TSO BOS Blogger said, as well, at May 2, 2008 2:48 AMTry working at a place where you are not permitted to leave and are forced to pay the inflated prices of food on your break. The costs are no picnic and, to be honest, we don't all get paid that well.*******************************#1-no one is forcing you to continue working as a screener; that is your choice.#2-how many of the passengers you screen on any given day do you think spend just as much time, IF NOT MORE, in airports all over the country & have to deal w/the same inflated costs due to the TSA's 'War on Water'?

TSO BOS Blogger finally said at May 2, 2008 2:48 AMAdditionally, I do not feel there is anything wrong with my attitude. I am respectful of everyone that comes through the security checkpoint and of everyone on this blog. I have just been trying to give people more information and provide a different perspective. Many people do not think of things from our point of view.**********************************Again, don't expect someone else to do that which you are not willing to do yourself.

The TSA security black diamond lane project is misguided and will hopefully be discarded in short time. The rating system (green circle, blue square, black diamond) is best left to the ski slopes and is not appropriate for airport security, particularly since the items that delay the queue are not related to familiarity with security protocol, but rather the nature and quantity of the carry-on items (presence of liquids, laptop computers, etc.). In addition, TSA efficiency and though-put in the X-ray screening process must be considered when evaluating processing time at the checkpoint. Further, everyone queuing for security considers themselves "experts."

The benefit of a priority security is one of the most important advantages of acquiring elite status and encourages brand loyalty. The new system is bad for the avid business traveler and for the airlines.

Bring back the Elite line. BOS Terminal A security is now a joke. A vast area of complete confusion and security lanes clogged with "experts." Allow extra time if you are an elite traveler until this mess is cleared up.

The ski slope lanes at terminal A don't make sense. When the lines in one lane becomes too long, the guards move them to another lane. This completely defeats the purpose of separating the travelers. How about just having more screeners?

I believe the Ski slope lanes are to be altered shortly, the first class/shuttle lane will be returning. We'll see if the line speeds up? Every lane that comes through Delta/Continental gets held up with passengers bringing things that are not allowed through. Also the xray operator has to stop EVERY image that enters the tunnel to examine the contents some passengers believe that its a continuous movement when in fact it is not. ALSO "need more screeners" thats for sure... Anyone want our job??? :)

In response to Transportation Security Officers walking through the metal-detector with coffees- The key point of the 3-1-1 rule is to limit the amount of liquids somebody can carry on a plane. Screeners, in uniform, entering the security checkpoint, will not be catching a flight. We will not be bringing those coffees onto a plane. We will be consuming them within the security checkpoint, where we work.

Michael said at May 18, 2008 11:12 PM... In response to Transportation Security Officers walking through the metal-detector with coffees- The key point of the 3-1-1 rule is to limit the amount of liquids somebody can carry on a plane. Screeners, in uniform, entering the security checkpoint, will not be catching a flight. We will not be bringing those coffees onto a plane. We will be consuming them within the security checkpoint, where we work.********************************Yeah, because no screener in uniform would ever think of doing anything bad, right? And it would never occur to a screener in uniform to bring something banned or bad thru a checkpoint & then hand it off to someone who IS getting on a plane, either, right? (Don't even think of bringing up the background check defense; doesn't do diddly when it comes to preventing future wrongdoing, in uniform or out of it). By your line of reasoning, Alvin in Denver should have been allowed to waltz on thru w/his gun, then, too-screener in uniform not getting on a plane, so what if he brings a gun w/him!

I am truly amazed at the capacity for forgetting in this country.At times it might be good, but in the case of 9/11 and the turmoil, loss, anxiety it caused for so many, how is it we forget so quickly. Some of the postings make a mockery of what the TSA is doing and trying to do to achieve the goal of providing a security system that is second to none.What is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in achieving this goal? PEOPLE.What is it that you want? You scream about the inadeqaucy of the procedures and at the same time you scream about your invasion of privacy and rights being violated. You want to be protected better , but you complained about security before 9/11 too. How about this proposal. No carry-on baggage of any kind allowed on the aircraft and only 2 checked bags per passenger. No exceptions. But what about my cell phone, computer, DVD player, Walkman? How do I make it? This country would not tolerate the strict security measures that are employed in places such as Isreal or even Europe. Or any measures that might make you uncomfortable.Yet you laugh, tear down not only the process , but the people who are doing the job while they tolerate ungrateful, rude, adolescent behavior from those that want to be protected. Each of you would be screaming foul if we did in this country what is done in other places.WHY? Because of your rights and freedom that you take for granted everyday and do nothing to protect. You complain about having to take off your shoes because of the dirty floors you have to walk on..You complain to your Congressman about the long lines, Congressman Smith this Voter Jones did you know I had to stand in line at the airport for 30 minutes yesterday this is outrageous I want you do to something about that.Voter Jones did you know that a sqaud from the 110th Brigade had to stand in the town of Fallujah all night last night in 110 degree heat, what do you want me to take care of first ? Congressman Smith they would not let me take my lipstick and deodorant on board with me or my bottled water. Can we do something about this? Voter Jones as soon I return from meeting with the parents ofsome of the soldiers fighting in Iraq I will get right on it.We as Americans are so used to being comfortable and placated that we have forgotten the difference between a right and a privalege..We think we have the right to do and say anything, act in any way we want and demand someone else to make me satisfied.As you sit and condemn the TSA for at least trying, let me ask each of you? What have you done or what are you doing to lessen the likelihood of something happening. What is wrong with you?Whenever a reporter can’t think of something to write about they dig out their old stories and regurgitate. Get some new material or at least update it.These individuals who work for the TSA are trying to do their best, but like in every occupation, people are not perfect. I would like to know the professions of each of those who are posting their comments about ineptitude and inadequacy because I am sure that I can tear down and point out ineptitude in any of their occupations.POLICE, FIRE, INSURANCE, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, REPORTERS, CHARITIES, EDUCATION, BANKING, SALES,TELEMARKETERS, on and on..oh and to those deep thinkers about terrorists aren’t the problem our government is, GET A LIFE your philosophies are conceptually elementary and unoriginal.. Do you have any of your own ideas. Playing back what you hear on “This Week with Tim Russert” or reading conspiracy literature doesn’t make you a terrorist analyst for FOX News.Try thinking for yourself and educate yourself by doing your own research and make up your own mind.Get off the security officers backs they are doing what they get paid to do and are expected to do by their management. Try doing what your asked to do, which by the way, is what they do everywhere but is done here to a lesser degree. I would like to see anyone of you go to an airport oversees and behave towards the security personnel at those airports like you do here and see if you are allowed to board your flight. So do what your asked and you know what if you find that it is an invasion of your privacy or violation of your rights, exercise your right to take another form of transportation.

txrus....obviously we have figured out your hating on the TSA every message you write pretty much proves it. Either we took away your toothpaste, or you stood in line too long ... we get it... why the heck would we come to work every day to do our job, and then PASS something off to someone boarding a plane? Your reaching my friend... get over the fact you have to wait till you get inside to buy your coffee....it costs the same inside as it does outside.... your just showing the public the hard time we get for DOING our jobs!

i just want to say thankyou to the "Anonymous" above.... THANKYOU!I've been a screener for 4 years now, my cousin died on 9/11, I do my job to the best of my abilities, like most of us do. People forget too soon. A great percentage of my colleagues are military personal fresh back from IRAQ. They served their country while most of these "can't we fix this first class line" were sitting on their butts in their office. All we ask... just do what the rules say... we don't make them up... we're just here to enforce them. In Boston, we don't cut corners, we go by the book, so you all should expect that. It's just great to have a sane voice on here for once... thankyou!

The first class/employee line was roped off last time I flew out of BOS on Delta.

As for looking at people anbd determining the need to screen based on looks, that won't happen. You cannot distinguish someone with evil intent from a regular traveler just by looking at them. Everyone is screened, even the TSOs when they come in.

On Sunday, May 25 I was waiting for USAirway #2041 around 3:00 PM close to Gate B-20. A loud, piercing alarm went off when a man with an airport employee-type badge entered the terminal from the gangway. He sat down near to me and made a call on his cell phone. He was not speaking English during his call. Several minutes later, a female USAirways employee approached him and said, "You know they got you on camera. You're not supposed to use that door." He didn't seem to understand her and she repeated the message several times. She finally gave up and walked away. Then he tried to exit the terminal the way he entered. The female employee told him several times he had to exit using another door. He finally shrugged and walked away. I asked her why someone who can't speak English is working there. She said that English isn't necessary, he just needs to pass the security clearance. My question is why doesn't an airport or airline employee know the procedures for entering and exiting the terminal? Why didn't someone from Security come and speak to him? If I'd done what he did, I would have been arrested.

trishhh451 said on .May 22, 2008 4:01 PMobviously we have figured out your hating on the TSA every message you write pretty much proves it. Either we took away your toothpaste, or you stood in line too long ... we get it... why the heck would we come to work every day to do our job, and then PASS something off to someone boarding a plane? Your reaching my friend... get over the fact you have to wait till you get inside to buy your coffee....it costs the same inside as it does outside.... your just showing the public the hard time we get for DOING our jobs!**********************************Ok, Trish-I won't even address your personal attack on me or your assumptions about me, however, a few points for you to consider in response to your tirade above:

1. Why would you, or any screener'pass off something' to someone boarding a plane? Probably for the same reason your colleagues in ATL who were recently arrested smuggled drugs-because someone paid them to do so. Same thing is presumed to have happened w/the Black Widow Bombers in Russia a few years ago-they got thru 'security' thanks to the airport screeners who had been bribed to let them thru.

Who's reaching?

2. In the terminal in question, Terminal B on the AA side @ BOS, there is a Dunkin Donuts past the checkpoint, as well as the one directly opposite the checkpoint. If, as you pointed out, I can 'wait until I get inside' to get my coffee, then the same holds true for the screeners working there. Not only would they not be seen to be flagrently disregarding the TSA's own rules (I know, it's that whole annoying 'set an example' thing), they also would not be disrupting the checkpoint operations to bring their goodies back thru. After all, as you said, 'it costs the same', right?

Who's 'reaching'?

Trish-I don't have any 'hatred' for the TSA, however, if the points I, & all the others who have posted on the blog in the months it has been in existence, have brought up are making you uncomfortable, you need to ask yourself why. Is it because we are asking the questions you just don't want to face? That's something you need to deal with. If the TSA's policies & procedures were so clear & reasonable, do you really think this blog would even exist? This blog exists because the TSA has an enormous, & growing, PR problem-it lost the trust & respect of the frequent fliers a very long time ago, but it is also now losing the trust of Ma & Pa Kettle & that is what is scaring your bosses more than anything. The Kettle's have peeked around the curtain & discovered that the billions & billions of dollars given to the TSA over the years have produced nothing tangible in return. The TSA's own, repeated, Red Team test failures prove that far better than anything I could write.

For the record, Trish, I am not giving you a hard time for 'DOING your job'-I am giving the TSA a hard time about screeners violating TSA's own rules. I will absolutely give the TSA a hard time about the lack of cargo screening on commercial airliners. I will give the TSA a hard time about their penchant for mission creep. I will do so because the TSA is a gov't agency who, in theory, works for me & every other taxpayer (yes, that includes you) & travelers who pays a 'security fee' w/every plane ticket I purchase. Most organizations w/any level of accountability welcome this; the TSA has, historically, not done so. That, not shampoo & long lines, have led to the problems the TSA is now trying to deal with.

I recently flew through terminal A at Logan airport and I was pleasantly surprised by the new Bin Return System located over the xray machine in the Delta Shuttle line. These really clean up the terminal and should used everywhere. Just think of the time savings!

I traveled through BOS on USAir last week. Like the person above, I had purchased a neck document holder. The person waiting on the other side of the metal detector told me to take EVERYTHING off and out of my pockets. So I did.

When I get through the metal detector she asks me for my boarding pass. Indicating the holder in the plastic bin on the conveyor, I say it's right there. Let me get it. And she FREAKS on me. NO, NO, NO! You stay here!! DOCUMENT CHECK! she yells out. She SAW me put it there, what was she freaking out for? It'd just gone through the scanner, so it's not like I was reaching for a weapon.

The other checker comes over, I reach into the bin and show her my boarding pass - no fuss. She just kind of rolled her eyes at her cow-orker's behavior.

Look, screeners... if your job is too stressful, then quit and get something easier. Don't take it out on us.

I flew out of logan Sunday PM to Reno and sent Bowling Balls in a Bowling ball bag through baggage. Due to the weight, and the poor condition of the bag, I had to tie rope around if to keep it from tearing open. The rope was cut off and the contents checked, then the bag was DUCTED TAPED to reclose it. I have no problem with the contents of my luggage being checked as I have nothing to hide, however, I feel the bag should be put in the same condition after the inspection as it was before. duct tape is not freindly to certain fabrics as it will leave a glue residue.

Yeah, because no screener in uniform would ever think of doing anything bad, right? And it would never occur to a screener in uniform to bring something banned or bad thru a checkpoint & then hand it off to someone who IS getting on a plane, either, right? (Don't even think of bringing up the background check defense; doesn't do diddly when it comes to preventing future wrongdoing, in uniform or out of it). By your line of reasoning, Alvin in Denver should have been allowed to waltz on thru w/his gun, then, too-screener in uniform not getting on a plane, so what if he brings a gun w/him!

First and foremost, Alvin didn't make it through the X ray machine before the gun was discovered. I could walk all the way through security and not have my coffee get stopped, with the understanding being that I am not boarding a plane, I am consuming the coffee inside the sterile area. There are certain prohibited items that have certain screening methods- i can not disclose SSI- but let's leave it at, seeing a coffee and seeing a unloaded handgun inside of the X-ray machine constitutes two completely different reactions from a TSO.

2- If I purchase a coffee, I am consuming it. I am not passing it off to anyone.

3- Not every screener agrees with every single one of the TSA's policies. We respect them and we make sure that we comply to them. If it was up to me, i'd make a few changes to the book, to say the least- but I am just your run of the mill basic 20-year-old college student/screener who shuts up and does his job. I'd get paid alot more if I could make the rules, don't you think? This is why it is unjust to take out frustrations on level-headed screeners such as myself... (and yes, i'm well aware that some screeners are not always level-headed)

I may have just posted this message previously, saying that I had no idea what my Google account name was. I retrieved my username and password; please disreguard the first (incomplete) paragraph of my last blog post.

I had the misfortune of checking a portfolio case with 15 23x30 painting and notebook at BOS AA OS today (6-30-08) The case was screened by TSA, the paintings were removed, corners bent, and placed back in the case with wet paint against other paintings. A notebook was also screened, page-by-page, as the elastic closure was removed. It must have been a slow day at BOS for paper to receive this type of scrutiny, I can just picture the screeners turning page-by-page and painting-by-painting . . . Thanks for making me feel safer than ever.

I had the misfortune of checking a portfolio case with 15 23x30 painting and notebook at BOS AA OS today (6-30-08) The case was screened by TSA, the paintings were removed, corners bent, and placed back in the case with wet paint against other paintings. A notebook was also screened, page-by-page, as the elastic closure was removed. It must have been a slow day at BOS for paper to receive this type of scrutiny, I can just picture the screeners turning page-by-page and painting-by-painting . . . Thanks for making me feel safer than ever.

July 1, 2008 4:32 PM

I cannot believe you packed wet paintings in a bag and are complaining about how they were repacked. Get real! Yes notebooks have to be opened occasionally and flipped through page by page. Not because we are nosy and really care about papers or what is written on them but because it's part of the procedures that are in place for screening baggage. We do not get to pick and choose which bags to screen and have to do our job according to the procedures laid out by headquarters. They all have reasons some of which us individual TSO's don't know but even if we knew we couldn't say what they are.

Btw I'm personally embarrassed to have to flip through some of the reading materials that are inside bags and really wish I didn't have to do it, but it's my job and protecting aviation is way more important than my own embarrassment level.

Ever since the creation of the TSA, they restricted acess to the airport gates and waiting areas to those who either are flying in and out of the airport, or to airport employees.

Personally, I don't find a good and fare reason or even the point in not allowing people without tickets beyond the security checkpoint. I think it should be changed, so a ticket is no longer required to go through the security checkpoint to the gate area, however still being subject to the usual security procedures.

This would allow for:

1. Families can meet relatives and friends at the gate once again.

2. Shops, resteraunts and even airport malls will profit from more customers.

3. Job applicants or those seeking employment can easily walk into the shop or resteraunt to apply for a job.

That's actually quite funny that you say that. They should just abolish the use of the tickets because it would benefit eerybody else. Come on now. Why should just anybody be able to go through the checkpoint without a ticket? There is a reason why you are at the airport and for the most part, it's to fly somewhere. So inorder to get on that plane you need a ticket. If families want to spend more time with their loved ones then talk to the airlines and get a pass to go through securite And trust me, the restaurants and stores on the other side of security do just fine. There is a point to having the tickets while going through security. If you don't have a reason to be there, i.e. no ticket, then you can't come through. It's just common sense.